Daily News Bulletin

Please sign me up to receive the Daily News Bulletin. I also agree to receive occasional
marketing emails from Construction Enquirer and selected advertisers.

Thanks

Sorry, there was a problem processing your request

Please enter a valid email address

We can't sign you up!

Please check the box. As a free news service Construction Enquirer relies on advertising for funding. We are unable to send you free daily news without your consent to receive occasional marketing emails.

Here at Construction Enquirer we take your privacy seriously and will only use
your information to administer your account and provide requested services. We will not share
your data with other companies and promise to keep your details safe and secure.

Our daily newsletter and website is a free service funded by advertising.

Newsletter subscribers will also receive occasional marketing emails from advertisers promoting
construction related products. They will be clearly labelled as promotions.

Construction self-employment on the rise again

Construction union Unite is sounding a warning after new figures revealed a rise in self-employment.

A Freedom of Information request made by Unite to HMRC revealed that 1.12 million construction workers were paid via the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) in 2017/18 – a 4% increase on the previous year.

Unite claims “the vast majority are bogusly self-employed”.

It said: “In 2014 the government introduced measures designed to crack down on bogus self-employment in the construction industry, by barring construction workers operating via engagers (employment agencies and payroll companies) from being self-employed

“The continuing year on year increase in the number of workers operating via the CIS scheme demonstrates that the government’s crack down on bogus self-employment has failed.

“Since 2014 there has been an 18% increase in workers operating via CIS.”

In total 49% of the industry’s 2.29 million workers were paid via CIS in 2017/18.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “These latest figures are a damming indictment of the failure of the government to deal with rampant bogus self-employment in construction.

“Bogus self-employment is costing the exchequer millions in lost revenues and amounts to a huge hidden subsidy to construction employers.

“The government has clearly lost control of tackling bogus self-employment in construction, resulting in the routine exploitation of workers.

“The entire system needs to be radically reformed so that workers are either genuinely self-employed or paid via a standard PAYE format.”